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Your Child and MMR
YOUR CHILD AND THE MMR IMMUNISATION
Parents are naturally concerned by reports in the media of side effects
associated with the Measles Mumps and Rubella immunisation (MMR).
In view of this, the Doctors in this practice thought it advisable to set out
their views to help parents in coming to a decision of whether or not to accept
protection.
Nothing in life is without risk. Deciding not to immunise your child against MMR
is almost always more risky than deciding to immunise.
Before the measles vaccine was introduced, about 90 children a year died in the
UK. We risk returning to this situation if more and more children are
unprotected, because of a drop in vaccination numbers.
The rare but major complications such as brain damage (encephalitis), deafness,
bowel disease or damage to the unborn child are what most people fear. The risk
of all these problems is far higher with the natural infection than with
immunisation. There is still no proof that autism is associated with the natural
measles virus, even less so with immunisation.
If you still have concerns, please can we suggest that you read the Department
of Health Leaflet entitled “A second dose of Measles, Mumps and Rubella
Vaccine"” For those who wish for more detail and references, please read MMR
fact sheets 1 & 2. Copies of these are available from reception. If you still
have queries after this, please make an appointment to discuss this with one of
the Doctors.
Of course we respect your parental right to make decisions for your children.
Obviously it is better if it is an informed decision rather than one based on
misinformation or media hype. All the Doctors in this practice have had their
own children immunised.
As with all immunisations, if your child has them anywhere else, please inform
Linda Hicks, our Practice Manger, of the dates, because it is important that we
keep your child’s records up to date.
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